Monday, February 6, 2012

When I entered the venue the atmosphere was good. It seemed like this was a party and we were all invited. People gathered in friendly circles grooving to the onstage DJs and anticipation of the main act dissolved into a celebration of what the DJs were feeding and reflecting from the crowd. Most of the audience were the same age or older than me – early to mid twenties. The hall was full but it was easy to get around and I got close to the stage. It sounded. The Primals strode out and swamped straight into Step inside This House – it was classic first song as instruction/manifesto/dare. Thrilling. They were so tuned in to where the audience was at that point - how the audience had been led to their entry point - that the song/gig was a seamless continuation of the party - the effect was mesmerizing.

There was a definite feeling of being “in the moment” from all corners of the room and it was no effort to maintain it.

Innes and Young in rock guitars bookended Gillespie in black and red who channeled and transcended the piece – his feet barely touched the ground for the hour or so – exhilarating stuff.

Don’t Fight it feel It. Come Together. Higher than the sun. + more. They encored with No Fun or was it Cold Turkey (or both? And was it Oakenfold on the sounds?)

The atmosphere remained loose and spacious throughout the gig -it was so unusual to not have to push and be shoved and to be able to dance with space around you.

Up to that point I’d spent my money on Come Together and Higher than the Sun but not on the LP. I ensured however, that I had a ticket for this gig – there had been glowing reports of the show- not that it was a “show” as it would be 20 years on - it was just the Scream live in Jan 92 and right then that was the eye of the hurricane.